1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically splicing strips of material together as it is being fed into a continuous running photographic processor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel splicer adapted to be coupled to a photographic film processor for splicing together different sizes of rolled strip film as it is being advanced into a continuous running processor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photographic material such as roll paper and roll film are processed as strips or rolls. Photographic paper is exposed in printers and enlargers until a considerable length on a roll of paper is ready for processing. The roll of exposed paper is then preferably attached to a leader which leads or starts the paper through the processor.
Photographic film in roll form comprises relatively short strips of material which are up to about three feet in length. Since the path of a commercial processor may exceed fifty feet, it is not practical to process rolls of film in continuous processors which require a leader. Automatic and semi-automatic film splicers are commercially available for splicing the ends of roll film together so that they will form a continuous long strip. However, such splicers only connect rolls of film together to form a long strip on a large spool or reel which is later processed in a separate and distinct operation.
There are commercially available processors which have a large number of rolls. Such multi-roll processors are capable of processing individual rolls of film without the requirement of a leader. These processors are more expensive than processors which require a leader and having a large number of rolls require more cleaning and maintenance.
The typical automatic film splicer is adapted to splice together up to six hundred rolls of film per hour. Such splicers open the cartridge or magazine and remove the roll of film. Rolls of the same size of film are trimmed and automatically spliced end to end. After being spliced the rolls of film are taken up on reels which may contain up to a thousand feet of film.
Semi-automatic splicers are available which are adapted to enable splicing together of different sizes of film to form a continuous strip of materal. Such film splicers require an operator at the splicing station and a change of procedure when the film width changes. In recent years fast service photographic processing has become possible. It is no longer necessary for film to be collected from numerous individuals and small retailers for processing at a central large photofinishing laboratory. Small processing laboratories, referred to as mini-labs, are now capable of returning finisihed film and photographic prints in about one hour. Such mini-labs are being located in shopping centers where customers can conveniently leave their film to be processed for one hour while attending to other business. The number of rolls of film being left for processing in any one hour is not great enough to merit the utilization of automatic film splicers and other expensive central laboratory photo finishing equipment.
Presently mini-labs employ the aforementioned expensive multi-roller processors which permit processing of individual rolls of film. Multi-roller processors employ large numbers of rollers that continuously control the leading edge of the photographic material being processed. Such processors require proper preventive maintenance and cleaning to assure that professional results are achieved.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus which would enable the processing of several rolls of film at a time or small lengths of photographic paper without the expense and maintenance cost associated with the use of multi-roller processors. Not only would such an apparatus lower the cost of photographic processing, but the apparatus would enable small processors such as mini-labs to consistently achieve the high quality results accomplished by large commercial photo finishers.